I found a guy who will trade me even for my guitar. I told him I would do it, but now I'm getting second thoughts. The Rebel 20 is in perfect shape, and so is my guitar. I've wanted a Rebel 20 for a long time, and jumped at the chance to own one. My finances right now aren't permitting me to go out and buy one outright, so this deal seemed perfect. I've been playing pedals through a DRRI for a few years, and now I want an amp that has some overdrive on it's own. Getting rid of the DRRI isn't an option. The thing is, I've had the guitar a while and I feel a sentimental attachment to it. Also, it is my only backup guitar. I bought a new American Deluxe strat a few months ago, and since then I rarely play my Hwy One. Although it is a great guitar, the Am. Deluxe blows it away in playability and the Vintage Noiseless pickups in the Hwy One are too bright and sound like crap with some overdrive. The new N3 pickups on the Am. Deluxe are warm and sound wonderful. And with the S-1 switch, I can get some hot humbucker-esque tones and tele-esque tones, along with killer strat tones. It's a really versitile guitar. Played super clean the Vintage Noiseless pickups sound great, but I almost always play with a little bit of breakup/verge of breakup. -Which leads back to the Rebel 20 head: it has a great clean tone, and with the gain knob a little breakup can be introduced.

Reasons to keep my guitar:
it's my only backup. I could get new pickups and I would like it better. Would the Rebel 20 really sound that much better/different than my DRRI with good OD pedals(look at my sig for my pedals)? I would need a buy a reverb pedal to run in the loop of the Rebel 20.

Reasons to trade for the amp:
Tone: More authentic overdrive from the amp; real tube overdrive. The Rebel 20 has a full tone stack with treble, middle, and bass, whereas my DRRI just has bass and treble. There are lots of times where I would prefer to adjust the mids and can't with the DRRI. With the cleans on the DRRI, sometimes I'd like to soften it up a little by rolling back the mids just a touch. The most important reason- the gain knob: add a little gain to that clean tone!
Right now, I'm not playing in a band, so the lack of a backup isn't a big deal, although I am looking to join/start a band soon. When gigging, a backup will be a big deal, but maybe by then I'll have bought another guitar.

If I turn this deal down, I may never get the opprotunity again. If I do trade, I'm afraid I might regret it. I am truly torn between the two options and I would like to hear some feedback/opinions from the knowledgeable folks here on the Fender forum. Thanks!!

_________________
2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

I'm no psychologist but my interpretation of your thoughts tells me that ultimately, you will regret the trade. The phrase, "The chase is better than the catch" comes to mind.

_________________
You dig?

Good point Martian

_________________
2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

Wouldn't, ever.

For one reason, you already have a great amp. An amp dedicated to a sound. Not a jack of all trades.
Amps with less controls sound better. Why do you want to lessen an amp by scooping frequencies out of it? If the amp is active on the eq, it's going to be a nightmare to do anything with on the fly. The only way to change the sound is to stop playing and move dials. If the amp has a traditional passive set of controls, all they'll do is lose frequencies. They never add, they just cut. One reason I can't understand the "set everything to 5 and adjust from there" devotees. Set everything to 10 and work the guitar. Then if you simply can't, adjust the amp. Is my motto.
I've never heard a good amp only drive on any recording. Get used to using a boost pedal, everyone does it.

You like the Highway, you've just lost sight of it a bit after getting a new guitar. That Highway was good enough to convince you to spend mucho spondoolicks on another Strat. A Strat that you want to treasure and not be taking out round bars in a couple of months. Whereas the Highway will likely be more the kind thats used to spit and sawdust.

_________________
No no and no

Thanks guys, I'm gonna text him back and tell him I'm not gonna do it. I feel like jerk though, for backing out at the last minute.

_________________
2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

Ha! Play your Highway One strat and that feeling will go away!

You're welcome and I wouldn't feel like a jerk at all. You are protecting your own interests and last I checked, it is perfectly acceptable for people to make up and/or change their own minds about things. If the other party involved gets even slightly bent out of shape, he'll simply have to get over it. Besides, I may be overly skeptical here but I'm sure there's a motivation on his part that he's not telling you about. The bottom line: You shall sleep well tonight.

_________________
You dig?

Pfffft feel like a jerk?

If he comes any of that with you tell him he should give you the amp for free as recompense for attempting emotional blackmail.

_________________
No no and no

I would keep the guitar. You had second thoughts. That would tell you know. Good to see you keep it.

im a big egnater fan, but i wouldnt trade a hwy 1 for a used rebel 20.
why dont you replace the VNs in the hwy 1, get some new pickups. turn it into a
hss strat for versatility. crank the drri to 7 or 8, switch down to the bucker and youll be in crunch territory, not metal, but creamy crunch.
now switch to your single coils and you have overdrive single coil sweetness.
you may have it or not but invest in a fulltone plimsoul by what ive read it has all the
distortion youll need.

_________________
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

Well, I have an update:
I did not trade my Hwy One for the Rebel 20. The guy was very cool about it. He totally understood. I told him that if he could wait a week I'd just buy it from him outright. So, now today I became the proud owner of an Egnater Rebel 20 head. I don't yet have a cab for it, so I have been running it through my DRRI's speaker just to try it out. I am happy with it so far. I must say, it does not sound as good as my DRRI, but what amp does? I got it for $450 in mint condition. They are selling new at Guitar Center for $599 +tax, so I guess I got a decent deal. And I still have my Hwy One!!!!

_________________
2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

See, now don't you feel better all around? Congrats!

_________________
You dig?

great job, as far as cabs:
check out jet city, very well built cab for the money, or the egnater 1x12 rebel cab.
the 2x12 cab is a monster also.

_________________
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

I've paid the price in guilt for trading Guitars for amps or other things that were not Guitars in the past. I now only trade Guitars for Guitars of equal quality, nothing else.

My worst was trading a 2005 American Series Strat in gorgeous CAR with a rosewood fretboard for an iPad 2 (I know!). This will haunt me to my grave.

_________________
2012 Fender American Standard Stratocaster
2013 Fender Pure Vintage 65 Stratocaster
2003 Gibson ES-355
2015 Gibson Les Paul Traditional
2002 Gretsch Duo Jet
1980 Rickenbacker 360/12 Fireglo
2014 Martin 000X1AE
2014 Fender Blues Junior III